Ceiling construction



June 22, 1965 A. F. STYNE ETAL CEILING CONSTRUCTION *2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Kay 21, 1963 INVENTORS. ALEXANDER E STYNE BY LEE JAMES June 22, 1965 F. s'fYNE ETAL CEILING CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 21. 1963 m m m ALEXANDER F. STYNE BY LEE UAMES 3,1il,203 CEILING CGNSTRUCI'KON Alexander F.

Fla, and Lee Earnes, 915 W. 60th St., Hialeah, Fla.

Filed May 21, 1963, Ser. No. 281,975

8 Claims. (Cl. 98-4il) This invention relates to ceiling'constructions and particularly of a ceiling of the suspended or hung type.

The invention further relates to an additional and highly desirable use of various kinds of suspended ceilings for the diffusion or distributionofmechanically conditioned air. a V

Suspended (or hung) ceilings, both of light-transmitting or opaque materials have gained wide uses in residential, commercial and industrial structures. conditioning-is fast becoming a marketing requirement for all types or" new or converted structures, the supply of high-level illumination and mechanically conditioned air requires new solutions. p Y

Many advantages can'be gained by providing this dual function to suspended ceiling structures. the mechanically conditioned air can be supplied from the duct endings or openings into the space above the suspended ceiling without expensive difiusers In commercial and industrial buildings which are designed to anticipate changes in the use of space, air ducts can be changed or openings relocated without the media any finishing or enclosing work. As the space above the suspended ceiling will become a plenum with higher air pressure than the occupied space below it, a constant air movement across the ceiling panels will prevent dust sett ling on either upper or lower surfaces and so alleviate maintenance chores. For the conversion of older structures where air conditioning systems are installed to update their usefulness, installation costs could be materially reduced. :further the distribution' of apertures throughout an entire room or space will reduce the draft effect encountered at times with conventional diffusers.

i In systems currently in use the metal members of such suspended ceilings are only designed to hold in place and to support modular panels of various plastic or fibre materials. By virtue of this invention .such supporting members are given the additional function of diffusing mechanically conditioned air to the occupied space below a suspended ceiling. It is therefore the object of this invention to create a structural system that incorporates the mechanical function to distribute conditioned air in an overall even pattern to the occupied space below the suspended ceiling. It is yet another object of this invention to create a structural type of member which permits the use of lightweight material with a smaller bending factor than was heretofore accomplished and so reduce the number of points where hangers must fasten this system to the structural ceiling or joists of the building. A further object of this invention is to create an assembly method which virtually avoids the use of tools under normal conditions and is foolproof to'the point that it can FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing wall attaching means for channel members,

Asair For. example,

Styne, 3819 Anderson Road, Coral Gables,

FIGURE 6 is a section takensubstantially on line 6-45 of FIGURE 5,

' FIGURE 7 is'a perspective view showing the wall attaching means of FIGURE 5, and a FIGURE 8 is a transverse sectional view illustrating a modified form of the invention wherein a battle plate is disposed below the channels.

Referring specifically to the drawings, therehas been provided a plurality of head beams 5. The head beams are relatively thin sheet metal of inverted channel form in cross section; Each of the beams embodies spaced apart side walls 6, forming a channel 7 andwith the walls 6 terminating in right angle flanges 8. I

The apex of the beams 5 are formed fiat, as indicated at 9. Each of the side walls 6 are provided with a plurality of equidistantly spaced apart slots 18, for a purpose vided right angle corner members 11, of generally U-shape and with the vertical legs of the U, indicated at 12 telescopically engaged into the channel 7 of the adjacent beams. The legs 12 are provided with bosses 13 that have a snapping engagement into adjacent slots 16, see particularly FIGURE 2. The corner members 11 are also provided with flanges 14 that underlie the flange 8 of the beams at assembly. Cross beams lfi constructed similar to the beams 5 are adapted to have interfitting engagement with the beams 5 at assembly. For this purpose, the beams 5 have been notched at 16 and the beams 15 have been notched at 17 sothat the beam have interfitting engagement and with the tops of the beams 15' being flush with the tops of the beams 5. At the points of intersection, the flanges 3 of the beams Shave been pressed downwardly, as indicated at 13 to receive the flanges of the beams 15 and whereby the beams are in mating engagement in much the manner of an egg crate. The beams 15 may be provided with extension 19 having an end portion notched at 20. to engage the notch 16 of the outermost beams 5. V

In assembled relation, as illustrated in FIGURE 2 the structure is elevated and supported from the'rafters or other ceiling structure of the building by suspension wires- 21 and whereby the structure may be supported at a predetermined spacing below the permanent ceiling of the beams '15 are then disposed between'the notches 16, form-- 7 ing a substantially grid structure that may be .subse FIGURE 4 is a similar perspective view showing a slightly modified use of the device,

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a modified form of wall attaching means,

Since it is desirable that the suspe'ndedceiling' of this invention constitute illuminating and air dififusing means,

panels, either opaque or transluceut will be inserted up'-. wardly and have resting engagement upon the flanges 8., Suitable illuminating means will be installed upon the,

rafters or other permanent ceiling of the building when the panels are translucent and many desirable manner, conditioned air may be directed into the space between the permanent ceiling and the suspended ceiling and with the airbeing pressurized so that it will flow through the slots 16 to be ejected downwardly from the channels 7. The panels are indicated in FIGURE'Z at 22. i

In the use of this form of the invention, several parallel I beams 5 are arranged in spaced apart relation with their corners connectedby their corner members 11. The cross quently elevated to span the ceiling of the buiding or, the several panels may besubsequently assembled at their point of use. The beams are then supported by thewires 21 in the usual manner. The corner members 11' having fitment into the channels of thebeams have automatic locking by the bosses 13, forming a very rigid structure.

The several beams 5 and 15 being of relatively light gauge material are preferably formed upon a suitable bending machine and the beams due to their construction become very rigid with little, if any, tendency to hex. The struchim so formed'extends from wall to wall of the building and may beeither suspended by the wires 21 or the ends is driven into the wall or wall anchor, forming a .very for the ceiling desirable and effective anchoring means members.

Since the suspended ceiling has a multiple purpose, being to provide lightdifiusion, sound absorption, thermal insu-, lation or simply as closures formed by thepanels 22 and to also diffuse mechanically conditioned air from above of the beams may be anchoredinto the walls in .a manner that will be presently described. The panels 22 perform various functions, such as lightditlusion, sound absorption, thermal insulation or :simply as closures forming the ceiling. Further operation of the device will follow.

The extension members 19*will be formed in various lengths so that they can also be used as joining elements where the ceiling or room dimensions exceeds the greatest lengths of the beams 5 or 15. The engagement of 'the beams 15 into the notches'16 orthe engagement of the extensions 19 into the notches 16 have a snug force fit. engagement that will prevent the movement of the beams with respect to each other. The corner members 11 thus provide a perimeter support and closing members for wall to wall installation. i 7 r In FIGURES 3 and 4, there has been illustrated a wall anchor for certain of the beams and whereby to anchor the suspended ceiling construction into the occupied space below, such, air passing through the slots and then downwardly from the channels 7, it may be found desirable a that rather than to have the air forced'straight downward- 1y, that means be pi vided to diffuse the; air in a horizontal or lateral path and for this purpose, there hasben provided a baflle plate 38 having spring clips 39 that extend upwardly into the channels 7 for snapping engage:

ment into the slots" 10. The. bathe plate 38 is located a predetermined distance below the channel and below the flangesS and functions to diifuse'th'e air laterally rather.

than downwardly;

the. beams at predetermined points along the walls. The

anchoring device or wall hanger is. installed in one corner and at right angles to the beams 5' or 15. This wall hanger is formed to accommodate both the regular beams 5 or 15and the extensions 19, if this should be necessary. The wall hanger can be installed with a conventional i fastening device. The wall hanger isstamped from a sheet' metal plate having wing, sections 23, apertures 24 for the passage of fastening devices and the wings carry the forwardly projecting stud that is proportioned to have fitment into theopen ends of the beams 5 or15 and also there):-

tensions'19 The stud' and its supportingplates 23 are stamped from a suitable sheetmetal and the stud has a relatively wide portion 25 and a narrower portion 26 all being integral with'the plate23'. Thenarrow portion26 has fitment into the open ends of the extensions 19 while the portion 25 has fitment into the open ends of the beams 5 or 15. The wall hanger may be initially engaged with furcated metal plates 27 and 28 that are provided with notches 29 in their marginal portions whereby to engage 7 the side walls of the beams 5 or 15. The plates 27 and 28, as clearly shown in FIGURES 5 and 6'have fitment. within a selected slot 10. The two plates are held apartunder tension by a compression spring 30 that is fitted over the innermostforked partof each plate. Into the forks of each plate, indicated at 31 and passing through the center of the compression spring is a double-headed,

case-hardened nail 32.. The nail 32'has a driving head 33 and a spaced shoulder 34. The plate 27 may beheld against movement by clinching the side wall of the slot 10, as shown in FIGURE 5 at 351 The plate 28 isthus free to slide longitudinally of the slot 10 when adriving tool is applied to a head 33. The'nail 32 is provided with a sharpened point 36 that may be driven into a'wall area or. the. nail may be. driven into a previouslyinstalled wall 7 anchor 37 of conventional construction.

In the use of this wall anchor, the device including the plates 27 and 28in assembled relation as shown in FIG- URE 7is inserted througha selected slot 10 and with the forward end of the nail projecting beyond the end-of thebeam 5 then, by employing-a suitable driving tool that is inserted upwardly'through the channel 7, the nail 32* In use, the ceiling being assembled and supported by either the wires 21 or the wall hangers, and with the panels being disposed upon the flanges 8, air by any suitable pump preferably conditioned air is forced into the space between the permanent ceiling andthe suspended ceiling and circulates through the space to how through theslots 10 1 for discharge frcm'thechannels 7." As before stated, the i panels may be translucent or even transparent and suitable lighting fixtures suspended from the rafters or other permanent-ceiling.;. In certain instances, it may be'de- 'sirable to reverse the flow of air, such, as for the ventilat ing purposes and in such case,;the air from the room area; is exhausted upwardlythrough the channel 7 and through the slots 10 for discharge in any well 'knownman'ner.

'It will be apparent from the foregoing that a very novel. formcf suspended ceiling has been provided. The sev it eral elements are economically formed, easilyinstalled and provide a suspended ceiling having all of the charac ter'istics of light diffusionand conditioned air diffusion. Suspended'ceilings heretofore employed are .usually formed of relatively heavy metal and in most instances extruded. metal and arerelatively heavy and difficult to assemble and install while the device of this invention pro-.

vides' inverted U-shaped beams, that may be economically formed from; shaped sheet metal upon a suitable bending machine and due to its" channel formation isextremely" strong.

Itisto be, under ood that theinve ntioh is inotlimited' to the precise'constructionshown,- but that changes arecontemplated as readily fall within the spirit ofthe 111-.

the scope of the subv entionjas shall be determined by joined claims.

We'claim:

L'Asuspended drop ceiling to besup orted byrafters '01 other permanent ceiling structure of the building, the ceiling adapted to be' suspended in spaced relationto the permanent ceiling to provide. an upper air space, the suspended ceiling being formed of spaced apart invertedU-;

shaped beams and a plurality of spaced apart cross beams r of inverted U-shape, the first named beams and the cross beams having notched interlocking engagement atitheir point of crossing, whereby the. crossbeams extend con? tinuouslyacross the first-mentioned beams. each ;of the beams being shaped frorn'she'e't metal, each of the. beams having a downwardly opening channel and withthe side's' of the beams provided with ,a plurality of spaced apart slotsthat communicate with the air space and with the channels, whereby mechanically conditioned air pumped into the upper space will flow through the slots and" the channels for discharge into an occupied space below the ceiling, the side walls of'the beams hav ng right angle flanges-for the resting support of closure panels and means to support the suspended ceiling from either the rafters or the side walls. v I

2. A drop or. suspended ceiling for installation in spaced relation to rafters or otherparmanent ceiling of a i 7 building and whereby to create an upper air space, the drop ceiling extending from wall to wall, the drop ceiling consisting of a plurality of inverted U-shaped beams of sheet metal and with certain of the beams arranged at a right angle and crossing other beams and in notched engagement therewith to form substantially a grid, the beams embodying a U-shape head having spaced apart side walls and with the side walls terminating in outwardly extending right angle flanges, the head providing a downwardly opening channel, each of the side walls being provided with spaced apart slots, each of the beams being open at their ends, extensions fittingly engaged in the open ends or the beams whereby the beams may conform to room areas, L-shaped corner connectors fittingly engaged in certain of the beams to form a perimeter beam, means to suspend the drop ceiling from the rafters or permanent ceiling, the upper air space being further formed by panels that rest upon the flanges, the upper air space adapted to receive mechanically conditioned air that is pressurized to flow through the slots for discharge downwardly from the channels to an occupied area below the drop ceiling.

3. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the extensions are of inverted U-shape and with the extensions having a telescopic engagement into the open ends of the beams, the extensions upon their opposite sides being provided with bosses that have snapping engagement into the slots and whereby the extensions are eifectively retained in their telescopic engagement.

4. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the 'firstnamed beams and the cross beams are notched to have the interlocking engagement and with the flangesof the firstnamed beams being distorted to receive the flanges of the cross beams so that the several beams will be flush with each other.

5. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the corner connectors are of inverted U-shape and adapted to telescopically engage within the channels of adjacent perimeter beams, the corner connectors having right angle flanges corresponding to'the flanges of the beams and at assembly underlying the flanges of the beams, the connectors being provided upon their side walls with bosses that engage into the slots of the beamsto maintain the connectors against shifting with respect to the beams. v

6. A drop ceiling for use in a lower spaced relation to ceiling rafters or other permanent ceiling of a building that comprises a plurality of inverted U-shape beams of the type wherein the beams have spaced side walls forming a downwardly opening channel and with the side walls terminating in right angle flanges, the ends of the channels being open, the side walls of the channels having a plurality of spaced apart slots, certain of the beams being in crossed relation to form an open grid, certain of the beams being anchored at their ends to adjacent side walls of a building, the anchoring means having a plate having a forwardly projecting lug telescopically engaging the open ends of the beams to be anchored to the side walls, said plate being adapted to be fastened to a wall, said leg having parts of different size, certain of the beams having 6 U-shape extensions that have telescopic engagement with the beams and with parts of the lugs of one size, and the parts of the lugs of another size being engageable by the ends of the beams, the plate means and the lugbeing formed integral from sheet metal. I

I 7. A drop ceiling for use in a lower spaced relation to ceiling rafters or other permanent ceiling of a building that comprises a plurality of inverted U-shaped beams,

the beams being formed of sheet metal and having spaced side walls forming a downwardly opening channel for the full length of the beam and with the side walls terminating in right angle flanges for the resting support of panels, the ends of the channels being open, the said side walls of the beams having a plurality of spaced apart slots, certain of the beams being in crossed relation to form an open grid that. is closed by the panels, certain of the beams being notched to engage notches in the beams that cross them, certain of the channels being anchored at their ends to adjacent side walls of the building, the anchoring means being an elongated cylindrical bar that is disposed in the channels of the beams and with the bar projecting beyond the beams and'having a sharpened end, the bar being supportedby a pair of bifurcated plates that are disposed within the channel and with. portions of the plates engaging one of the slots, means for fixing one of the plates relative to the slot, the bar having a head portion and a spaced apart collar thatis engaged with respect to the bifurcations, one plate being yieldable and biased in one direction by a coil spring around the bar, the said bar adapted to be driven into a Wall area by impact engagement with a tool that is disposed into the channel against the head of the bar and whereby the bar may be driven into a wall area for fixed attachment of the drop ceiling, beams being in crossed relation with respect to the other beams and with the second named beams being notched to engage notches in the other beams and Wherebyyto form'an open grid, the said ceiling providing 'an air space thereabove that receives mechanically conditioned airthat is adapted to flow through the slots and downwardly to the occupied area below the ceiling.

. 8. The structure according to claim 7 wherein the downwardly opening channels are provided With spaced References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,662,743 12/53 Frenzer 984O 2,859,681 11/58 Rachlin 98-40 r 2,902,918 9/59 Swarner 9840 2,920,357 1/60 Ericson 98-40 3,069,991 12/62 Ericson 984Q ROBERT A. LEARY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SUSPENDED DROP CEILING TO BE SUPPORTED BY RAFTERS OR OTHER PERMANENT CEILING STRUCTURE OF THE BUILDING, THE CEILING ADAPTED TO BE SUSPENDED IN SPACED RELATION TO THE PERMANENT CEILING TO PROVIDE AN UPPER AIR SPACE, THE SUSPENDING CEILING BEING FORMED OF SPACED APART INVERTED USHAPED BEAMS AND A PLURALITY OF SPACED APART CROSS BEAMS OF INVERTED U-SHAPE, THE FIRST NAMED BEAMS AND THE CROSS BEAMS HAVING NOTCHED INTERLOCKING ENGAGEMENT AT THEIR POINT OF CROSSING, WHEREBY THE CROSS BEAMS EXTEND CONTINUOUSLY ACROSS THE FIRST-MENTIONED BEAMS EACH OF THE BEAMS BEING SHAPED FROM SHEET METAL, EACH OF THE BEAMS HAVING A DOWNWARDLY OPENING CHANNEL AND WITH THE SIDES OF THE BEAMS PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF SPACED APART SLOTS THAT COMMUNICATE WITH THE AIR SPACE AND WITH THE CHANNELS, WHEREBY MECHANICALLY CONDITIONED AIR PUMPED INTO THE UPPER SPACE WILL FLOW THROUGH THE SLOTS AND THE CHANNELS FOR DISCHARGE INTO AN OCCUPIED SPACE BELOW THE CEILING, THE SIDE WALLS OF THE BEAMS HAVING RIGHT ANGLE FLANGES FOR THE RESTING SUPPORT OF CLOSURE PANELS AND MEANS TO SUPPORT THE SUSPENDED CEILING FROM EITHER THE RAFTERS OR THE SIDE WALLS. 